I'm curious as to what the highest wattage (pre 1985) Stereo or Hi-Fi amplifier Zenith produced was?

There seems to be a lot of fuss, and a lot of money exchanged for late 70's early 80's high wattage stereo amplifiers. From what I've read, Zenith didn't try to compete with the "Rock out as loud as possible!" design. But I'm still curious, what was the most powerful Zenith in the era that Zenith was still mostly US based? Even if it was designed in US but built overseas like the Trans-Oceanic R7000's.

Thanks in advance

Chris

Not sure why this was moved to Vintage Audio Equipment? If the Moderator moved this hoping to better help me find the answer to the simple question that was asked about, thank you!

The initial question includes vintage Stereo or Hi-Fi amplifiers as subject material. However, hopefully, as ascertained by additional information in the original post, the question is inviting and hoping for more information from fellow forum members in order to ascertain the currently unknown direction (unknown to me and a series of internet searches) of one of the most respected US radio manufacturers to compete with a relatively new foreign based competition. Was Zenith indeed in direct competition with the "High power shock your socks off" foreign radio manufacturers? Seems simple enough to judge by also knowing the highest wattage receiver produced? Or perhaps Zenith was counting on its believed superior sound quality to keep its market share? Or maybe Zenith was relying on its reputation keep sales up?

I am aware that at the end of the 1970's, the Zenith Trans-Oceanic's failed to keep a dominating market share. I understand this mostly to be attributed to the foreign radios having digital displays, being smaller in size, and being cheaper.

Where is the story on the high end home receivers? Same story? I'd love to know more.

Thanks!

Chris

I wasn't the moderator who moved this thread, but I think it's not exactly clear whether you're talking about Zenith stereo amplifiers or Zenith radio receivers that might include a phonograph. If it's the former, then the discussion belongs in Vintage Audio Equipment, if the latter then it likely belongs in Antique Radio Discussions (or possibly Transistor Radio Discussions, if you're talking about a solid-state unit).

Bob

Zenith was not a manufacturer of hi-fi or stereo components. As far as their highest output power product I would suggest the 1000Z Stratosphere.

http://www.radioatticarchives.com/radio.htm?radio=3847

-David

We owned a Zenith stereo phono in the late 1950s, in two cabinets.

I would also think the 1942 model 22H698 (I think that is the correct model) also could have 2 extra speakers if I remember right. Radio /Phono combo.

Was this made by another company and just Zenith branded then? I thought it looked old enough to possibly be made in the USA.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RECEIVER-ZENITH ... 460ef99591

Zenith certainly did have component stereo equipment. Though, the ones I know of were not manufactured in the US, Zenith did have manufacturing plants overseas, such as in Taiwan.

To my knowledge, the highest power component stereo system of Zenith may be the 1980/81 model MC7051. It had 40 Watts RMS per channel. I currently have its little brother, the MC7040 sitting in front of me at 25 Watts per channel. Great performing stereo with the MC3000 10" two way speaker systems.

Incidentally, Zenith left the audio/radio business in 1982. Anything made after that with Zenith's name on it was most likely built by SDI Technologies (Soundesign) which, Zenith didn't have anything to do with.

-Steve

How did Zenith distribute their components? Through their authorized TV dealers? You never saw them in either the chain or independent stereo/hi-fi retailers alongside Fisher/Scott/Pioneer/Kenwood/Sansui/Sherwood et al.

-David

I have a Zenith with 4 speakers (mono) all tube AM/FM 1958 with pair of 6V6 push pull output. Sounds great.Sprman

Through their authorized dealers.

The TV shop I worked at was Gene's TV Service in Sidney, Ohio. back then, the Zenith merchandise was bought through V. J. McGranahan Distributing which had a warehouse in Dayton and Toledo.

Back in 1980, I started hanging out at the shop hoping I could land a job there. I was only 13 at the time. I didn't actually get hired until 1984 part time after school. Later, I was hired on full-time and did both sales and service.

I remember that showroom was full of TVs, Stereos, radios and a few VCRs back in 1980 and 81. Even console stereos.

I miss those days.

-Steve

Anyone know which model and or year Zenith switched to having home audio made outside the US?

I think the 22H698 has to be up there.

I have the tuner chassis and the speakers and sound board, but am missing the power supply, amp.

Been looking for one for a couple of years.

Mine was bought from a gentlemen in Indy who bought it on EBAY. The seller sold the amp and the tuner separately on EBAY and they went to different bidders. A real shame--now neither of us have a working 22h698

Joe

In 1967 I bought a new Zenith solid state stereo console which featured an enclosed 8 speaker system, FET FM front end, belt driven turntable with Mu-metal tone arm. The Mediterranean style cabinet was about 6 feet long, done in dark oak with movable vertical louvers over the speaker areas and was the most expensive model offered that year. Unfortunately I can't find a picture of it. What I do remember is the manual stated 375 Watts of Peak Instantaneous Power. Not sure how it relates to RMS power.

Mike, yes, there were some fantastic claims as to power output, and yes, for brief moments with much distortion, an amplifier could produce those figures. But a sustained RMS rating without distortion would be much MUCH lower.

Those amplifiers, while capable of significant power were only able to produce 25-30 watts RMS per channel at most.

It would be interesting to properly test one to see what they are actually capable of... at reasonable distortion levels.

Here is the Mediterranean style Y966 for the 1968 model year. The 1967 was probably similar with an "X" rather than "Y" in the model number.
Depending on when you bought it in 1967, it may just be a 1968 model.

-Steve

I have two Zenith stereo systems from the late 1970s (1978 or 1979). I have looked them over for any clue as to country of manufacture and can find nothing. Either the label came off, or they never put anything on them.

From the looks of them, they may have very well been made in USA. Either that or across the border in Zenith's Reynosa Mexico plants.

BTW, my 1980 model MC7040 was made in Korea.

-Steve

That huge Zenith console pictured above was definitely the biggest and best they ever built. They sounded really good for a console all in one unit, but still didn't quite equal what you could have done with separate components. Even with the heavy cabinet, there were still resonant peaks that were annoying if you ran it loud with the bass up.

We had a few customers with these and the main problem with them was tin whiskers in the small transistors, of course at the time we didn't realize that was what was happening but they would short and stop working, and you could measure it with an ohmmeter. Same thing that plagued the solid state T-O's.

I'm not familiar with the tin whisker problem, but as an owner of a few Zenith radios, can you tell me more about it?

And as for that beautiful console in the advertisement,

So the 320 watts of peak power would in that advertisement would likely only have been 25-30 watts RMS per channel? That seems a pretty radical jump, almost 9x RMS to peak? I have read in the forum of tube amps reaching about 100 watts before you need to bridge them in order to achieve more power. The radio advertisement being for a solid state Zenith, which if I understand correctly, solid state distorts way before a tube amp when they reach peak... Something doesn't seem right... Was it just advertising BS? Just seems to me that the ratio of RMS to Peak is off, I haven't done my studies though, and I'm not sure where to begin for that.

Google "NASA tin whiskers" they have more information than you will ever need to know. There are hundreds of linked, documented instances with photos and descriptions of what happens.

Even though Toyota won't publicly admit it, there is strong evidence that tin whiskers were the cause of their recall over acceleration problems.

As far as that particular Zenith console stereo goes, it had some decent output transistors and power supply, no doubt it was good for more than 25 watts RMS, but they never published the real rating. Someone here must still have one and it wouldn't take very long with an audio generator and scope to find out what the real power output is at the clipping point.

That set would have been the salesman's dream in a TV-appliance retailer because all they needed to do was let the customer play with it and turn the volume up, it would sell itself to anyone who had that much available space, that much money to spend, and wanted a console stereo.

Back then, Zenith still had the quality reputation and people bought Zenith products because they had been very satisfied with an older Zenith, or someone they knew had one they were impressed with. Anyone who was even remotely an "audiophile" would most likely not have been in a retailer which sold products like Zenith to begin with, as true high fidelity audio components were not usually sold in the same retail stores.

Now I'm curious...
What were the audiophile grade manufacturers of the same time period? late 60's to early 70's? I have to be honest, I've only been around a couple of audiophiles, and although I could look up the equipment, which did demand a high price, it seemed as though it was only good for %volume <= %bass which was <=%treble matched with X speakers in a Y room... blah blah blah. To me, it was like, well according to some measurement device, the only way to listen to my audiophile equipment is in this "X" specified manner, otherwise you won't "experience the true sound" or some other kind of horse pucky. On the other hand, I've heard some other equipment a non tech-geek person had kept because it "just sounds good". To me, sounds goods, wins. I like to have my backyard filled with a loud good quality sound as much as anyone else. Unfortunately, I suppose, I've never been around an audiophile who would hardly dare take the dust covers off his equipment for more than a showing. The guy who has the long speaker wires, drags his equipment around to be used for the enjoyment of everyone around him... Those guys I've known. That's living the good life in my book.

For anyone who reads this and thinks I'm looking for something USA made that is underrated, unknown, and worth more than anyone on ebay is paying, your dang right (never sold a thing online btw). I'd love to pick something up that I could maybe do a little fixing/modification to if necessary and have a rocking stereo my family and friends could enjoy. I'm already thinking that 320 peak watt console could be mated to a different pair of speakers for a knock your socks off stereo system delivering a sound quality only an "audiophile" would balk at. Maybe that idea will catch on, and maybe that will drive up the prices of some of the older equipment. GOOD! Keep it out of dumpsters! I'm thinking I'm the same as most anyone reading this, when people in your circle want to know about a radio/stereo, they ask you. I hate having to tell someone "You'd be lucky to be able to sell it". There are still plenty of people, including the younger generations, that appreciate older quality made items that are no longer being made with quality. The more equipment that hits the dumpsters, the less people in the future will be able to pick an old/antique/vintage-whatever-era human repairable piece of beauty.

I've had my share of black plastic XXXX watts!!! It's crap, it sounds like crap. Even if it doesn't sound like crap, it goes bad in two years if you've been lucky, it is seemingly impossible to DIY repair.

Where are the sleepers?

Sorry, seem to have gone on a bit of a rant there...